School of Engineering

Graduates the engineering leaders of tomorrow...

Department of Civil Engineering

M.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering

The Department of Civil Engineering at LAU offers a comprehensive program leading to the degree of Master of Science (M.S.) in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) with one of three emphases: (i) Infrastructure and Construction Management; (ii) Environmental Science, Engineering and Management; or (iii) Engineering Mechanics. The CEE Program aims at attracting qualified students to pursue graduate studies. The program provides graduate students with a sound professional and academic training in civil engineering, giving them access to a variety of courses in their area of study, as well as the opportunity to conduct research, thus combining the theoretical and the applied aspects of civil engineering.

The program is designed to stimulate independent thinking and the acquisition of knowledge, as well as the application of acquired knowledge and skills to the solution of practical engineering problems. The program provides an in-depth experience with one or more particular fields of Civil Engineering, while simultaneously exposing the student to cross-disciplinary issues and topics that affect the engineering and management of systems.

The student completes the program with a thesis based on a research topic selected from one of the following emphasis areas:

  1. Construction Engineering and Management
  2. Environmental and Water Resources Engineering
  3. Geotechnical Engineering
  4. Structural Engineering
  5. Transportation Engineering

Mission

The mission of the graduate program in Civil and Environmental Engineering at LAU is to provide students with a well-rounded set of career skills that empowers them to address a wide range of problems through exposure to an advanced body of knowledge and scholarly endeavors.

Program Educational Objectives

The purpose of the Graduate Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering is to:

  1. Train students to develop the methodology and necessary skills to explore emerging issues in engineering and science.
  2. Provide students with an advanced background and a focused body of knowledge required for the present day professional practice in their chosen field of study, and to prepare them to adapt to a changing profession.
  3. Train the students in an active research environment, to equip them with the latest tools of research, and to prepare them for further study toward a Doctoral Degree.

Student Outcomes

Graduates of the  M.S. - CEE programs will be able to:

  1. Reinforce skills developed in the undergraduate program.
  2. Use advanced analytical, computational, and/or experimental aspects of civil engineering.
  3. Make critical judgments based on a sound knowledge base.
  4. Conduct research and appreciate its importance in the evolution of civil engineering.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admissions to the program must hold a degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering or Bachelor of Engineering, from a recognized university. A minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), on a 4.0 scale, of 2.75 and a minimum Major GPA of 2.75, or their equivalent, is required.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering holders, from a 120-credit program, must complete an additional 12 credits of engineering courses prior to their enrollment in the Masters program. No credit toward the graduate degree is given for these courses.

Non-LAU applicants must submit, as part of their application package, the quantitative reasoning and analytical writing scores for the GRE general exam. GRE subject exams are not required for all applicants. GRE test scores must be recent, less than 5 years old.

Two letters of recommendation are required, with at least one letter completed by a full-time faculty who is familiar with the applicant’s academic performance in coursework and research.

Curriculum

Graduation requires the completion of 30 credits, divided into 24 credits of coursework and a 6-credit thesis. The coursework is distributed as follows:

Two core courses are required in every emphasis area. Only one elective course can be selected from outside the School of Engineering based on the specific need for the student to take a course in a relevant field to the thesis work.

All courses in the student study plan must be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor and approved by the Chairperson of the Department. Availability of courses in a specific emphasis area is contingent on adequate enrollment in that specific course/area.
Students must complete a minimum of one academic year of full-time graduate level study, or its equivalent in part-time study.

Transfer of Credits

Students with a Bachelor of Engineering may transfer up to 18 credits from their undergraduate program, provided that the transferred credits correspond to graduate courses in the M.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering and the student has attained at least a grade of “B” in each of the courses to be transferred. Credits transfer is governed by the Academic Rules and Procedures for graduate programs.


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